There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from G.o.d; for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except G.o.d be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of G.o.d. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother"s womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of G.o.d. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof; but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
_After which he shall say this exhortation following_.
Beloved, ye hear in this Gospel the express words of our Saviour Christ, that except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of G.o.d. Whereby ye may perceive the great necessity of this Sacrament, where it may be had. Likewise, immediately before his ascension into heaven, (as we read in the last chapter of Saint Mark"s Gospel,) he gave command to his disciples, saying, Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be d.a.m.ned. Which also sheweth unto us the great benefit we reap thereby. For which cause Saint Peter the Apostle, when upon his first preaching of the Gospel many were p.r.i.c.ked at the heart, and said to him and the rest of the Apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? replied and said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is to you and your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our G.o.d shall call.
And with many other words exhorted he them, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. For (as the same Apostle testifieth in another place) even Baptism doth also now save us, (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience towards G.o.d,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Doubt ye not therefore, but earnestly believe, that he will favourably receive _these_ present _persons_, truly repenting, and coming unto him by faith; that he will grant _them_ remission of _their_ sins, and bestow upon _them_ the Holy Ghost; that he will give _them_ the blessing of eternal life, and make _them partakers_ of his everlasting kingdom. Wherefore we being thus persuaded of the good will of our heavenly Father towards _these persons_, declared by his Son Jesus Christ; let us faithfully and devoutly give thanks to him, and say,
Almighty and everlasting G.o.d, heavenly Father, we give thee humble thanks, for that thou hast vouchsafed to call us to the knowledge of thy grace and faith in thee: Increase this knowledge, and confirm this faith in us evermore. Give thy Holy Spirit to these persons, that they may be born again, and be made heirs of everlasting salvation, through our Lord Jesus Christ, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever.
_Amen_.
_Then the Priest shall speak to the persons to be baptized on this wise_.
Well-beloved, who are come hither desiring to receive holy Baptism, _ye_ have heard how the Congregation hath prayed that our Lord Jesus Christ would vouchsafe to receive you and bless you, to release you of your sins, to give you the kingdom of heaven and everlasting life. _Ye_ have heard also that our Lord Jesus Christ hath promised in his holy Word, to grant all those things that we have prayed for; which promise he, for his part, will most surely keep and perform. Wherefore, after this promise made by Christ, _ye_ must also faithfully, for your part, promise in the presence of these your witnesses, and this whole Congregation, that _ye_ will renounce the devil and all his works, and constantly believe G.o.d"s holy Word, and obediently keep his commandments.
_Then shall the Priest demand of each of the persons to be baptized, severally, these Questions following_.
_Question_.
Dost thou renounce the devil and all his works, the vain pomp and glory of the world, with all covetous desires of the same, and the carnal desires of the flesh, so that thou wilt not follow nor be led by them?
_Answer_. I renounce them all.
_Question_.
Dost thou believe in G.o.d the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth?
And in Jesus Christ his only-begotten Son our Lord? And that he was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary; that he suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; that he went down into h.e.l.l, and also did rise again the third day; that he ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of G.o.d the Father Almighty; and from thence shall come again at the end of the world, to judge the quick and the dead?
And dost thou believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy Catholic Church; the Communion of Saints; the Remission of sins; the Resurrection of the flesh; and everlasting life after death?
_Answer_. All this I stedfastly believe.
_Question_.
Wilt thou be baptized in this faith?
_Answer_. That is my desire.
_Question_.
Wilt thou then obediently keep G.o.d"s holy will and commandments, and walk in the same all the days of thy life?
_Answer_. I will endeavour so to do, G.o.d being my helper.
_Then shall the Priest say_,
O merciful G.o.d, grant that the old Adam in _these persons_ may be so buried, that the new man may be raised up in _them_. _Amen_.
Grant that all carnal affections may die in _them_, and that all things belonging to the Spirit may live and grow in _them_. _Amen_.
Grant that _they_ may have power and strength, to have victory, and to triumph against the devil, the world, and the flesh. _Amen_.
Grant that _they_, being here dedicated to thee by our office and ministry, may also be endued with heavenly virtues, and everlastingly rewarded, through thy mercy, O blessed Lord G.o.d, who dost live, and govern all things, world without end. _Amen_.
Almighty everliving G.o.d, whose most dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of our sins, did shed out of his most precious side both water and blood; and gave commandment to his disciples, that they should go teach all nations, and baptize them in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost: Regard, we beseech thee, the supplications of this Congregation; sanctify this Water to the mystical washing away of sin; and grant that the persons now to be baptized therein may receive the fulness of thy grace, and ever remain in the number of thy faithful and elect children; through Jesus Christ our Lord. _Amen_.
_Then shall the Priest take each person to be baptized by the right hand, and placing him conveniently by the Font, according to his discretion, shall ask the G.o.dfathers and G.o.dmothers the Name; and then shall dip him in the water, or pour water upon him, saying_,
_N_. I baptize thee, In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.
_Then shall the Priest say_,
We receive this person into the Congregation of Christ"s flock; and * do sign _him_ with the sign of the Cross, in token that hereafter _he_ shall not be ashamed to confess the faith of Christ crucified, and manfully to fight under his banner against sin, the world, and the devil, and to continue Christ"s faithful soldier and servant unto _his_ life"s end. Amen.
* _Here the Priest shall make a Cross upon the person"s forehead_.
_Then shall the Priest say_,
Seeing now, dearly beloved brethren, that _these persons_ are regenerate and grafted into the body of Christ"s Church, let us give thanks unto Almighty G.o.d for these benefits, and with one accord make our prayers unto him, that _they_ may lead the rest of _their_ life according to this beginning.
_Then shall be said the Lord"s Prayer, all kneeling_.
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; And forgive us our trespa.s.ses, As we forgive them that trespa.s.s against us; And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. Amen.
We yield thee humble thanks, O heavenly Father, that thou hast vouchsafed to call us to the knowledge of thy grace and faith in thee; Increase this knowledge, and confirm this faith in us evermore. Give thy Holy Spirit to _these persons_, that, being now born again, and made heirs of everlasting salvation, through our Lord Jesus Christ, _they_ may continue thy servants, and attain thy promises; through the same Lord Jesus Christ thy Son, who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the same Holy Spirit, everlastingly. _Amen_.
_Then, all standing up, the Priest shall use this exhortation following; speaking to the G.o.dfathers and G.o.dmothers first_.
Forasmuch as _these persons_ have promised in your presence to renounce the devil and all his works, to believe in G.o.d, and to serve him: Ye must remember that it is your part and duty to put _them_ in mind, what a solemn vow, promise, and profession _they_ have now made before this Congregation, and especially before you their chosen witnesses. And ye are also to call upon _them_ to use all diligence to be rightly instructed in G.o.d"s holy Word; that so _they_ may grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, and live G.o.dly, righteously, and soberly in this present world.
(_And then, speaking to the new baptized persons, he shall proceed, and say_,)
And as for you, who have now by Baptism put on Christ, it is your part and duty also, being made the _children_ of G.o.d and of the light by faith in Jesus Christ, to walk answerably to your Christian calling, and as becometh the children of light; remembering always, that Baptism representeth unto us our profession; which is, to follow the example of our Saviour Christ, and to be made like unto him; that as he died and rose again for us, so should we, who are baptized, die from sin and rise again unto righteousness, continually mortifying all our evil and corrupt affections, and daily proceeding in all virtue and G.o.dliness of living.
_It is expedient that every person, thus baptized, should be confirmed by the Bishop so soon after his Baptism as conveniently may be; that so he may be admitted to the holy Communion_.
_If any persons not baptized in their infancy shall be brought to be baptized before they come to years of discretion to answer for themselves; it may suffice to use the Office for Public Baptism of Infants, or_ (_in case of extreme danger_) _the Office for Private Baptism; only changing the word_ [Infant] _for_ [Child _or_ Person]
_as occasion requireth_.
A CATECHISM,
THAT IS TO SAY,
AN INSTRUCTION TO BE LEARNED OF EVERY PERSON BEFORE